Red Sox Fall To Yankees After Bullpen Got Smashed In The 8th

Red Sox Fall To Yankees After Bullpen Got Smashed In The 8th

Friday night’s Red Sox-Yankees game’s level of importance could not be understated. It truly was the tilting point of the series despite being game 1 of 3. The reason for that is on Saturday Luis Severino is going against Drew Pomeranz. As good as Pomeranz has been, Severino is New York’s ace.

On Sunday it is Chris Sale going against Josh Montgomery, Sale being Boston’s ace. These pitching matchups are why Friday’s game was vital in winning the series for either team. Boston had Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound taking on Jaime Garcia of the Yankees.

Boston got the start it was looking for, but after a bullpen mishap and a 9th inning rally falling just short, the Red Sox lost 5-4 to New York.

E-Rod had an electric outing tossing 6 scoreless innings allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 Yankee batters. E-Rod’s only rough spot came in the 5th inning when Ronald Torreyes doubled to left field and was moved over to third base by an Austin Romfly fly out.

But even in that moment, Rodriguez stood strong and struck out Aaron Hicks to end the inning. The only other hit he allowed came in the 3rd inning on a Hicks double with 1 out. E-Rod worked around that as well. With Boston needing a solid outing, Rodriguez delivered. The only criticism of him would be going 6 innings with a 107 pitch count, in theory, you would have liked to see him go 7.

But with Pomeranz on Saturday and Sale on Sunday, using the bullpen for 3 innings isn’t a big deal at the moment.

Bullpen Gets The Doors Blown Off

Despite the solid start for E-Rod and the bullpens past successes, this was not the night for the Red Sox pen. Barnes was flawless but after him…. Yuck.

The new guy, Addison Reed, came in and couldn’t record an out. He gave up two base hits and was hit up for 4 earned runs. Reed also allowed a two-run home run to Aaron Hicks.

Reed was pulled in favor of Joe Kelly, he recorded 2 outs but allowed 3 base hits and an earned run. To record the last out of the inning Farrell called in Fernando Abad. Abad recorded the last out, but the damage was done.

Boston Set The Tone Early Against The New York Yankees

Offensively Boston set the tone right from the start. In the 1st inning, Hanley Ramirez hit a 2-run home run to score Mookie Betts making it a 2-0 game before Eduardo Rodriguez even took the mound. The home run was Ramirez’s 18th of the season, tying him with Betts for the team high.

The Red Sox did not score again until the 5th inning when Andrew Benintendi hit a solo home run out in center field for his 14th dinger of the season. Benny’s home run made it a 3-0 game.

Despite the early lead, the offense was able to garner, they found themselves down 5-3 after the bullpen got torched in the 8th inning.

The offense was given the opportunity to climb back in it during the top of the 9th though.

9th Inning Comeback Falls Just Short

Aroldis Chapman was on the hill for the Yankees, but the close tossed 5 straight balls to start the inning. That was enough to walk Jackie Bradley Jr. and fall behind Eduardo Nunez 1-0 before throwing his first strike.

Chapman though still could not reign it in, he ended up walking Nunez to make it 2 on in the 9th inning with no men out with Mookie Betts at the plate. With the Yankees warming up Dillon Betances in the bullpen, Chapman proceeded to walk Betts to load them up with nobody out.

This gave Beninetndi an opportunity to hit with the bases loaded in the 9th with no one out in the inning. Benny smacked a ball deep into right field allowing JBJ to tag and score a run to pull Boston within 1. But at the same time Nunez tagged up trying to move over to third base.

Nunez was ruled out at third on the throw from Hicks turning it into a double play. After a review, the play on the field stood as an out. The risky play to try and move Nunez to third base did not pay off. But Mookie Betts was able to advance on the throw in.

Moreland who came in for Ramirez had the chance to knock in Betts from second to tie the game. But Moreland lined out to Jacoby Ellsbury in center field.

A 9th inning comeback fell just short with Boston losing 5-4.

Overall Thoughts, impact of game, and what is next

Boston’s bullpen was bound to get blown at some point. It is tough for it to happen in Yankee Stadium after cruising with a 3-0 lead. But over the course of a season stuff like that is bound to happen. It is important to brush it off and move forward.

Their 9th inning rally fell just short, and in falling short Boston’s 8 game winning streak is halted.

With the win, the New York Yankees move within 3.5 games of first place in the AL East. If the Red Sox were able to win they could have stretched their lead to 5.5 games. Now they must win the next two games to win the series.

Up next for the Boston Red Sox is game 2 of the series on Saturday night. Drew Pomeranz will be on the mound taking on Luis Severino.

Tanner founded Trifecta Network in Spring of 2016 and has been the Chief of Content for the Network since that time. Currently Tanner covers all the sports teams in Boston and has contacts in many of the teams in the city. Before starting Trifecta, Tanner was a Site Expert for the FanSided site Chowder and Champions before leaving to cover Boston teams on the ground as a member of the media for Trifecta.

“It is tough here,’’ Price tells USA TODAY. “There’s just so much more negativity. I’ve never been one for negative stuff. I like surrounding myself by positive people. Even if my wife starts talking negatively, I let her know. I just can’t stand it.

Price claims there is an incredible amount of negativity surrounding Boston. Well, maybe just negativity surrounding him. The 217 million dollar man has been the target of much criticism but all of it is justified and has absolutely nothing to do with his price tag. Fans could care less about how much money a player makes since it is not actually their money. Price getting bashed by fans and members of the media also has nothing to do with his performance on the field. It all stems from him being a big baby and blowing up on Dennis Eckersley on the team plane last year. If Price hadn’t done that no one would care, because lets’ face it, Boston is no longer a tough baseball town.

But hey maybe we are all experiencing a different Boston, a different Fenway Park. A Fenway park where David Ortiz gets booed.

“Oh, yeah, he’ll get booed,’’ Price laughs. “I told J.D. he will love the guys here in this clubhouse but also told him he’ll get booed. He’s a quiet, soft-spoken guy, but he’ll handle it. Besides, everyone gets booed. I heard Big Papi (David Ortiz) get booed many times in Fenway.”

Yes, that is a real quote. That statement alone deserves vicious boos from the Fenway Faithful. When was Ortiz ever booed “many times” at Fenway Park during Prices time in baseball? Even when Terry Francona almost benched the slugger fans were still chanting Papi, Papi.

No shot in hell.

Price making that comment to Nightengale is just a shameful attempt to garner national support for him as he attempts to pitch his way out of a contract he should have never signed. Price blames Boston and the fans instead of himself. He signed the contract, no one forced him to do so. Instead, he has taken shots at the city, the fan base, and the organization. Funny thing is if Price goes out and pitches halfway decent there is no shot he gets booed at Fenway Park this season.

Most of the fans that visit Fenway have no idea who half of the players are and will cheer for anything that walks up to the plate. Boston is no longer a tough baseball town, but don’t tell that to Nightengale.

Now it’s J.D. Martinez’s turn to experience baseball’s toughest environment, where perfection is demanded, nothing less than a World Series championship is good enough and, as Price can attest, where things can get awfully ugly in a hurry.

Welcome to Boston.

You’ve been warned. -Nightengale

Baseball’s toughest environment?

I think not.

The biggest newspaper in town, the Boston Globe, is in John Henry‘s garage. And then one of the biggest sports tv stations is also under team ownership.

Tough?

I think not, more like soft as butter.

Now a direct message to J.D. Martinez: Just don’t be an a-hole like Price and you will be fine. Hit .240 or .320, it literally doesn’t matter in Boston.

Boston Red Sox Spring Training TV And Radio Broadcast Information

The Boston Red Sox announced on Tuesday their 2018 Spring Training broadcast schedule.

Of the Red Sox’ 35 exhibition games this spring, 14 will be televised by NESN in the Boston TV market on either the main channel or their NESNplus feed.

In addition to the 14 NESN games, a partnership between them and Boston 25 will bring an additional six games to be broadcasted on Boston 25 in the City of Boston and on NESN throughout the rest of New England.

In terms of radio, the Red Sox Radio network continues to be WEEI which will carry 31 spring training games. There will be three national games on the Spring Training schedule with MLB Network carrying the March 2nd game and ESPN carrying both the March 23rd game and the March 27th game.

Below is the full Boston Red Sox spring training broadcast schedule for 2018

Red Sox Trade Bryce Brentz To The Pittsburgh Pirates

Red Sox Trade OF Bryce Brentz To The Pittsburgh Pirates

The Red Sox have announced that they have traded outfielder Bryce Brentz to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations. This creates a spot for newly signed JD Martinez on the 40 man roster, and ultimately the opening day 25 man roster.

Last season for the Pawtucket Red Sox, Bryce Brentz hit .271 with 31 home runs and 85 RBI’s. Those 31 home runs was the most out of any player in the Red Sox organization. However his fielding was okay at best.

This season, Bryce Brentz was on track to be the number 4 outfielder for the Boston Red Sox. But with the acquisition of JD Martinez, this would force Bryce Brentz off the opening day roster. Since Bryce Brentz no longer has anymore options, this trade makes sure that the Red Sox get something out of getting rid of him. Otherwise the Red Sox would have just designated him for assignment.

Bryce Brentz Highlights

Here are some of the highlights from last season for Bryce Brentz.

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